Crossroads
by tir-synni
Summary: AmarantZidane: Zidane never should have agreed with Amarant's challenge. He could not leave him behind in Ipsen's Castle.


Title: Crossroads  
Series: FF9  
Pairing: Amarant/Zidane  
Warnings: Spoilers for disk 3  
Rating: T

Crossroads

_That idiot! Running off on his own in a place like this! If he wants to go solo, can't he at least have the decency to find a safe place to do it!_

Sprinting through the halls of Ipsen's Castle, Zidane Tribal kept a wary eye out for friend and foe alike. He had already dodged two Cerberuses and a Veteran. He feared what would happen if he stumbled across a Tonberry or three.

And he feared that Amarant Coral already had.

A familiar red poof caught his eyes, and Zidane slipped past a pair of glowing eyes in the corner to run into the courtyard. Kumool perked up as he approached. "Can I help you, kupo?" the moogle inquired. "Tent, maybe?" Kumool smiled hopefully. "Mognet?"

Zidane shook his head, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Sorry, Kumool. No news on Mognet yet?" As Kumool visibly drooped, the blond rushed on, "Have you seen one of my companions? His name's Amarant. Tall, bright red dreadlocks, lousy attitude?"

Kumool mulled the question over, and Zidane warily looked around the pale courtyard. A Veteran flew overhead, but it didn't seem to notice them. He wondered if these creatures just didn't like the taste of moogles. The small creatures seemed to get everywhere unscathed.

"Oh, yeah, kupo!" Kumool chirped. He waved to the pole on the far side of the room. "There were some Tonberries in her earlier, and he went in there. He hasn't come back, though, kupo."

Tonberries. . . . Zidane glanced around the room. Seeing nothing else, he focused on the pole. "He probably encountered something nasty down there," he murmured. He checked his supplies. With a small smile, the blond noted that his supplies had increased. "Thanks, Eiko," he said under his breath and then nodded at Kumool. "Hope to see you again soon!"

"Be careful, kupo!" Kumool called. Zidane waved over his shoulder, running towards the pole. He sensed motion behind him and dived. He felt something swish by, but his small hands, encased in large gloves, were already wrapping around the pole. Using his tail for balance, Zidane swung himself downward.

"Ha!" he shouted upwards as a Veteran swooped past. The courtyard vanished from view, revealing an even odder room. Zidane grimaced as he jumped off the pole. The first time they had entered this room, Vivi had been so disoriented that he had thrown up all over Freya's shoes. Trying to walk through the dizzying room now, Zidane couldn't blame him.

He wanted to call out for his lost companion, but if there was something in here that had defeated the famous criminal, Zidane didn't want to call its attention anymore than he already had. Instead, he cautiously looked around as he slipped through the room, feeling almost like he was back in Tantalus and scampering around rooftops. Except back then his daggers didn't feel as alien in his hands as they did now.

"Ugh. . . ." Zidane stiffened and looked over on the far side of the room. From this angle, he couldn't see anything.

"Who's there?" he called out. If Amarant had tangled with an Agares and its gargoyle, that might be the Agares moaning. Zidane tensed. He didn't want to fight a raised gargoyle down here. Daggers bared, Zidane crept over to the source of the sound.

Shit.

Zidane sped up, hopping over to where Amarant lay sprawled. He couldn't see any injuries, but the older man was pale and unmoving on the ground. Injured, exhausted? He didn't seem poisoned. . . .

"Zidane. . . ?" Amarant croaked. "Why did you come back. . . ?"

Ugh. Stupid as ever. Zidane shook his head, dismissing the foolish question. Would an elixir be too much? Perhaps just a hi-potion? "Amarant? What happened to you?" _What the hell was enough to drop you?_

Even wounded, Amarant had the energy to scowl at him. Zidane considered that a nice answer to his mental question and pulled out a hi-potion. "Answer my question. . . . I told you we might be enemies next time we met. . . . Or did you come to mock me?"

Zidane's hand faltered on the hi-potion. Incredulously, the blond stared at the older man. "You say some strange things," he informed Amarant, reaching for the hi-potion again. He offered it to the redhead. "The guys outside told me that you hadn't come out yet. That's why I came here looking for you."

_And because I felt guilty. I shouldn't have agreed to your foolish challenge. It was too dangerous in here, especially for someone who likes picking fights like you. I should have watched out for you more!_

Amarant didn't take the hi-potion. "We don't have anything to do with each other anymore. . . . You don't have anything to gain from this. Or do you? I don't understand you. I don't understand the way you think. . . ."

If it wasn't for the hi-potion in his hand, Zidane would have thrown his hands up in exasperation. Instead, he sneaked a quick look around. Still silent. He didn't like it. In situations like this, it never boded good things. Growing worried, Zidane shoved the hi-potion at Amarant again. "Who cares about what I have to gain? You need help right now."

Amarant _still_ didn't take it. With a low grunt, Amarant eased himself up. Zidane resisted the urge to help him up. A broken nose on his part wouldn't help anything.

"You don't care. . . ?" With a restraint Zidane didn't know he had, he resisted rolling his eyes. Amarant persisted, his tone sincerely confused. "You're willing to put yourself at risk to save me?"

Zidane shook his head and shoved the hi-potion at Amarant again. "Come on. We've helped each other many times since we've joined forces. You're a part of the team. That's all that matters. I don't know why I'm doing this, but I can't just walk away. It goes against my nature."

_Finally_, Amarant reached out to take the hi-potion. He didn't drink it, but he held it nonetheless. Zidane bit back a cheer. "And that's what being part of the team means. . . ?"

Zidane nodded forcefully. He remembered all the times Tantalus watched his back, how no matter what happened they stood beside him. They took him in when no one else would, ignored his oddities (such as his tail), and they made him part of the group. They showed him friendship and warmth when he had nothing to offer back but his fear. Zidane grinned. "Isn't it? Come on, that's enough talk. Let's get outta here!"

Amarant stared at him. "You're an idiot," he declared, but Zidane noted cheerfully that he was still drinking the hi-potion. It returned the color to his cheeks and the energy to his eyes. Zidane stood back as Amarant shoved himself to his feet. "What are we waiting for?"

Grinning at him, Zidane turned back to the pole, only to stiffen and step back. "Dammit!" he cursed, hands on his daggers.

Amarant loomed behind him. "Wha—" he started, but the three Tonberries staring drowsily at them silenced him. "Fuck."

Zidane nodded, not taking his eyes off the monsters. "We can run past them," Zidane said quietly, slipping his daggers back into their sheathes. "I still have some exploding powder left. They're not fast. We'll be able to get past them, no prob."

Amarant glared at him. "I can fight!" he growled. "And I don't like running away."

Rolling his eyes, Zidane braced himself. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get out of here!" He flashed Amarant a wink. "I have a new weapon, and I want to use it!"

Amarant sighed but didn't protest when Zidane threw the smoke bombs. The powder within them exploded, and Zidane started running. He kept Amarant in his peripheral vision, slowing so Amarant would have the lead. Amarant didn't move quickly, but his long legs ate up the ground. The Tonberries had stopped, blinking in an odd confusion at the black smoke around them. Zidane jogged at Amarant's heels, pulling his daggers out just in case.

Amarant reached the pole first. To Zidane's surprise, he hesitated and looked back at him. Anxiously, he waved him on, watching the smoke fade behind him. The Tonberries were beginning to turn around. Zidane tensed. He knew just how quickly and unexpectedly those deadly creatures could move.

Looking at Zidane one last time, Amarant started climbing up the pole. One of the Tonberries was moving, and Zidane didn't wait any longer: He jumped on the pole behind Amarant. Amarant grunted. Zidane smiled apologetically at his ass. "Sorry!" he sang out.

Amarant huffed but kept pulling himself up. The Tonberries were gathered at the bottom of the pole. Zidane could feel their dull eyes on them, and he shuddered and wrapped his tail around the pole.

"…Are you all right?" Amarant asked, not looking down.

Zidane blinked. "Fine. Just hurry!"

Kumool chirped at them when Amarant pulled himself into the courtyard. He didn't look at Zidane as the blond hopped off the pole. "Are you all right, kupo?"

Amarant just grunted again, but Zidane grinned at him. "Yeah! Seen anything up here lately?"

"Nothing, kupo!"

Zidane nodded but looked around anyway. He didn't _see_ anything. "We'll run over to Kumool, and then we'll run out," he decided. "Two clear shots."

Amarant stared flatly at him. He crossed his massive arms. "I'm not running anymore. If anything wants to fight, they can fight."

Zidane's shoulders slumped. _Well,_ he thought ironically, _I was the one who said we couldn't change him._ "Fine," he sighed. "Let's just get out of here."

As Zidane followed behind Amarant's trudging form, keeping one eye out for more foes, it almost felt like Amarant was trying to keep an eye on _him_. Zidane guessed it was the odd way Amarant would turn his head sometimes, not like he was trying to look around but like he was trying to look behind.

_Maybe I'm just getting paranoid in my old age,_ Zidane thought wryly.

Zidane heard it before Amarant. "Cerberus!" he shouted, whipping his daggers out in front of him. Easily, Amarant slid to his back as the Cerberus slunk from the shadows. It bared its fangs, and fascinated, Zidane watched the drool drip from the razor sharp teeth. "…Yuck."

"Be careful, kupo!" Kumool shouted, sounding terrified.

"Get your ass over here and do something, kupo," Amarant retorted under his breath. Zidane grinned.

With a roar, the Cerberus charged. Zidane rolled to one side, his daggers flashing. He heard Amarant huff loudly, and he skidded back onto his heels. On the other side of the growling monster, Amarant was panting but otherwise seemed all right. Zidane didn't see any blood, but the Cerberus was focused on the larger target.

_I should have given him the elixir, dammit! I could've spared one!_

Not bothering to ask if Amarant was all right, Zidane dived forward. The Cerberus howled as the thief sliced the tendons in his front legs. The monster stumbled forward as Zidane rolled back to Amarant's side. Amarant didn't seem to notice, clawing at the Cerberus' face. It snapped at the man, grazing his arm with its fangs. That coaxed Zidane to charge again, slicing and dicing and trying to distract the beast away from Amarant.

The Cerberus roared, and Zidane threw his arms up and cried out as flame exploded in front of him. It burned his arms and seared his senses, and he stumbled backwards. A strong arm grabbed him and pulled him back, and he heard Amarant shout something, but he couldn't hear. Zidane heard the Cerberus roaring, but he was more aware of the arm still holding him. Then Amarant was pulling him away, and Zidane could hear the monster's roar dying.

"Zidane! Dammit, are you all right?"

Zidane shook his head, the ringing in his ears dying. "I'm fine," he assured him, shaking his arms. As he looked around, he noted to his surprise that the Cerberus was stumbling around the other side of the courtyard, and Amarant was pulling him towards the hopping Kumool. Zidane blinked at Amarant, stunned.

"Shut up," Amarant growled. "How's your arms?"

Surprised, Zidane looked down. The flesh was bright red but didn't look too bad. "Fine," he said dizzily. "Was just caught off guard, that's all." He shook his head a little. "You okay?"

Amarant just huffed. "Watch after your own tail better. I won't always be around to save your ass."

The way he said it made Zidane look sharply up in shock. The movement drew his attention to the arm still around his waist. Amarant was staring at Kumool. "He'll help us set up a tent," he commented. "You can rest there."

_We can rest there_, Zidane mentally retorted but valued his life too much to say it. Instead, he shook his head. "No. The others are waiting for us outside."

Amarant just _looked_ at him, and Zidane grinned back. "Idiot," the criminal grumbled, looking back at the limping Cerberus. "Let's get out of here before something else wants fried thief for dinner."

Zidane scoffed at the lame comment and straightened up. Finally, Amarant released him and started trudging towards the moogle. Zidane studied his singed arms for a moment, glanced at Amarant's bloody arms, sighed and trudged after him.

"Would you like a tent, kupo? Would you like a tent?" Zidane waved aside Kumool's worried questions, smiling wryly to himself as Amarant kept going. Big surprise there.

"Nope! Just heading out," Zidane replied cheerfully, following at Amarant's heels. Like before, he kept an eye out for monsters. He hoped Amarant would run away earlier this time.

Zidane yelped as Amarant grabbed his wrist—one of the only non-burnt parts of his arm—and dragged him to his side. He didn't say a word, simply continued trudging. Indignantly rubbing his wrist, Zidane jogged to keep up with his longer strides.

As they stepped into the next room, Zidane stopped, blue eyes sharpening. He looked around the empty room. Amarant stopped and look inquisitively at him.

"Instincts," Zidane said quietly. "We're not alone in here."

Amarant didn't question him, simply looked around. Zidane couldn't _see_ anything, but his instincts weren't wrong in these situations. He had lived as a thief far too long not to trust his instincts.

"Over there," Amarant said softly, nodding his head. Zidane followed his gaze to the far corner. He swallowed thickly.

An Agares and a gargoyle. He was wondering how long it would take before he met those.

Zidane glanced at Amarant, only to see Amarant staring at Zidane's arms. Zidane followed his gaze. They were bright red but were showing no signs of blistering yet. He glanced back up at Amarant. Now the criminal was staring at the door.

"It's a straight shot," Amarant commented contemplatively. "We'll be able to make it. That idiot will have his gargoyle slowing him down."

Zidane refrained from grinning. "Sounds good to me."

Amarant made as if to grab his wrist again but stopped mid-motion. He looked straight ahead. Now Zidane smiled a little.

"Race you to the door," Zidane teased. Amarant grunted, but when Zidane took off, he immediately moved.

_You don't understand me, _Zidane thought, willing speed to his legs. Amarant usually moved slowly, but when he wanted to, he could move fast. _But that's okay. I don't understand either._

As they ran towards the entrance, the Agares moved out of the shadows. Neither of the pair slowed. If anything, Zidane could feel himself smiling.

_I want to understand you, though. I don't you don't get the whole "team" thing yet, but if you stay, I'll help you understand._

The soft padding of Zidane's swift steps contrasted with the sharp thunks of Amarant's. It only widened Zidane's smile. To the side, the Agares was raising the gargoyle. It was spreading its wings.

_Stay and understand. I don't want you to leave just yet._

The Agares cast a spell, but the pair was already running past. The gargoyle roared, bringing to mind the Cerberus' fury and the Cerberus' flame and Amarant's arms and Amarant protecting _him_, running _beside him_.

_I think there are some things you can help me understand, too._

And then they were out of Ipsen's Castle, and Vivi and Eiko were yelling at them. At the top of the stairs, Zidane waved, aware of what they had left behind them. "Sorry we're late!" he shouted.

Amarant was staring at him. Dagger wasn't. Zidane's grin faltered before he quickly bolstered it. The others were staring expectantly at him.

_But now's not the time for any of that. _

"Let's get back to the airship! We have to make plans."


End file.
